Electroplating machine



@1,1935 ,A H. HAMON 1,988,888

v ELECTRPLATING MACHINE Filedlmarcn 13, 1951 4 sheetsheet. 1

A. H. HANNON ELECTROPLATING MACHINE Jan. l, 1935.

Filed March 13, 1951 Cow wAfzn Rmse 4 sheets-sheet 24 CHROME 3 MAIN.

ELEcrHg CLEAN Cow waren ACID DIP ouah/ATER E Mm Rm amg; i j DR'HER Hor WATER Rmc: B

Jan. 1., 1935. A, H HANNON 1,985,988

ELECTROPLATING MACHINE Filed March 13K, 1931 4 Sheetssheet 3 Patented Jan. '1, 1935 amc'raommc moms Albert Hmmm, springfield, ohio Application March 13, 1931, semi No. 522,267

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in electroplating machines wherein the pieces of work or objects being plated are carried along `from one tank to the next and automatically raised and lowered to lift the work out of one tank and lowe'r it into the next tank, electric current being supplied in one or more of the tanks for depositing the plate.

Since such apparatus requires a number of the tanks for the various operations of cleaning, washing, plating and the like, andsince in an automatic conveyor plating machine the time for each different treatment is governed by the length of the particular tank, because the conveying mechanism travels at the same speed in moving along each of the tanks and the total length of the tanks becomes quite great, objects of this invention are to provide a simplified form of machine in which the tanks are arranged'in twoy adjacent rows so that the length of the machine is shortened, and so that the work is returned to the same place at which it started.

In the plating machines generally in use,-the conveying mechanism and the transfer mechanism are usually separate devices, and the transfer devices pick the work-support racks oiI from the conveyor, which moves steadily in a horizontal plane, lifts the work up and deposits the work in the next tank at about the same position on the conveyor. In such machines the movement of the transfer arms must be 'syn' chronized with the movement of the conveyor and in relation to the supporting elements on the conveyor, therefore changes in the spacings between the successive work supports for different widths of work cannot be readily made.

In this invention the carrier arms are pivoted to an endless chain which operates in a horizontal plane around a frame placed between the rows of tanks. The arms overhang the tanks and are raised and lowered by cams attached to the sides of the frame as the arms are moved along over the ends of the tanks. In a specic machine built according to this inventionthe pitch or spacing of the carrier arms can be varied in any multiples of six inches without making any changes in the timing because each arm is lifted as it moves into relation with the cams, which can be fixed as desired along the frame, and where the spacing is close several arms may be being lifted or lowered by the same cam.

/The construction of the machine becomes comparatively simple because it is only necessary to ldrive the conveyor chain. Also the spacing .of the arms does not change as they are being lifted. In other machines while one rack is raised the next rack is moving up, While in this invention there is no crowding together as the forwardv movement of the racks is continuous and the spacing remains the same. This permits of the minimum spacingy of about four inches between the work, which is requisite for the plating. In this invention itis not uncom- .mon to have as many as fty arms in onetank at the same time, and, for example, racks twenty vlo r inches in width can be spaced at twenty four inch intervals, while in other machines the intervals would have to be much greater. With the usual conveyor speedof about six feet a minute the lift being about three feet, and the 15 transfer speed being about four times the .speed of the conveyor, the conveyor would move about nine inches in the other machines while a rack was being lifted out of a tank. This would require atleast ten inches of clear space between 20 the racks, and about thirty inch intervals in the spacing of the racks.4 Then with fifty racks in one tank the tank would necessarily be twenty ve feet longer than would be necessary in this invention.

Other advantages of this invention are that the tanks are accessible. This is of importancebevcause chemicals must be added to the solutions daily and new anodes hung in thetanks periodically.

lAlso the machine can ,be both loaded` and unloaded at one place so thatV one operator can run the-machine, and the mechanism is surrounded by the tanks and the operator is protected and not exposed to danger from contact with chains, gears or other moving parts.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. I is a plan view of a machine with mid portions broken out.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on substantially the line 3--3 of Fig. 2. v

Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 placed end to end constitute a diagram of the arrangement of a complete plating machine. v

Fig. 6 is a plan view of one of the carrir arms, and shows a fragment of the side of the support frame.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a portion of the chain belt.

Fig. 8 is a detail section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 6. f y Fig. 9 is an elevation of the end of the carrierA arm.

a rotatably supported on y Fig. l 4is section onthe line 10-10 of vman 1u Fig. 1l is a section on the line 11-11 of Fig'. 1, and shows a modification in the form of the carrier arm.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation Fig. 11. t

The machine comprises two spaced rows A and B of plating and solution tanks joined at the ends by circular tanks C and D. A complete arrangement of the tanks is shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 and their functions indicated by the legends thereon so that the problems involved in plating machines can Abe perceived. A gap E is provided between the tanksat one side for the loading and unloading. p

Between the two rows of tanks is a frame structure comprisingthe spaced channel section vertical support columns ll and 12 which are connected at the upper ends, at each side. by the horlzontally disposedchannel section beams 13 and 14. secured to the' flanges of columns; and the ends of the horizontal members are provided the horizontally disposed sprocket wheels 15 and`l6.

The sprocket wheel l5. at the feed end of the machine, is rotatably' mountedin a motor bed plate 17 which is slidably mounted on the transverse I-beams 18 and19, bolted on the tops oi! the longitudinal frame members l3.and 14. The bed plate is adjusted in position by means of a screw'20, whichis threaded through an anchor of the parts shown bracket 21 secured to the transverse member 19.

The opposite. sprocket wheelv 16 his, rotatably mounted in a bearing 22 which is nxedly mormted on the transverse I-beam 23. boltedto the tops of the longitudinal members.

Mounted on the sprocket wheel and extending along the outer sides of the channel members 13 and 14 andbetween the flanges thereof is an endless chain belt 24 composedof spaced rollers 25 and inner andouter pairs of sideconnectinglinks 26 and2'l.` Onthebedplateisxnountedthe motor 28,*which is connected for driving the Y sprocket wheel 15 `through thefspeed reducer 29, worm 30 and worm wheel 31, keyed to theshaft 32 of the sprocket wheel. In'operation the chain is continuously driven in 'a counter-clockwise movement, as viewed in Fig. 1; and the reaches 39. On the'upper oi!thechainsareguided.laterally.alongtheouter sides of the frame members 13 und 14 between the web of said members and the depending flange ofA anangleiron34securedonthe'topoftheside frame members.

At intervalsinthe chainoneofthelowerlinks is replacedv by an attachment plate 35 to which is bolted a carrier arm bracket 36.. 'nie bracket has two vertical spaced lugs' 37, and projecting inwardly is a lug portion 38 onthe inner'end of which is rotatablxgmmted a roller surface ofthe bracket is prof videdapad40 for engagingwiththeunder sur face of the projecting portion of the plate 35, and on the upper surface of said portion of -the'plaim directly opposite the pad. is bolted a short angle iron 41 for engaging the outer sm'face of the depending flange of the member 34, the upstanding flange of `theangle iron 34 being-directly opposite to two of the adjacent chain rollers. 25, as best shown in Fig. e, so that the brackets nnnly guided in the horizontal plane as it is moved alongby the chain.l The anglenember 41 and the bracket are removably secured to the attach f ment` plate 35 by means of cap screws 42. which Y extend throun the horizontal aange or the angle i hub 51 which is pivotally secured thereto by vmeans of a hori- 41 andtbeplate35andthreadintothe padportion 4o of the bracket. Thus on a three inch pitch chain the attachment plates 35 are provided at six inch intervals, and the brackets may bereadilyattachedtothechainatsixinchintervals ormultiple's thereof as may be desired.

- Along the two sides ofthe frame, the supporte ing rollers 39 ride on the projecting flange 45 of the angle sectioned guide rails 46 secured tothe outer side of the web of likewise to the opposite side member 14', a lip 47 being provided at the outer edges of theiiianges to prevent the possibility of the roller 39 slipping off from the flange. Y

The work support members 48 are pivotally atthe side member 13, and

tached to the brackets and insulated therefrom.v

These members are in the form of a bell-crank, having a depending arm 49 and au' outwardly projecting arm 50. the armsbeing joined to a inserted between the lugs 37 and zontally disposed pin 52,-sultable insulation 53 is provided around the pi'n and between the sides of the hub and the lugs 3'! of the bracket;'as shown in Fig. 8, and on the projecting ends of the pins are pinned the collei's54l and 55.

0n the lower end ofthe arm 49 is rotatably mounted an insulated roller 56 which rides against a track 57 mounted on each side of the frame .30,

for rotationally supporting the member 48; and

.a portion thereof forraising and lowering the ann members 48. as the members tanks.

outer end of the bar is pivotally mounted a yoke. "I2 having forked hooks v'I3 and 74 thereof. At the middle the yoke has two'spaoed upwardly projectingjarmsi and '16. between whichisinsertedthe endsofthebar7o,the yoke beine secured to the end of the pin '17. Then to prevent the' yoke ing and-hold the same-parallel as raised orpowered.'a rod 'l'is provided which ispivotaliy mounted in parallel relation tothe e bus bar 66 whilethe workby Vthe* so that the plating current ows side by" v that the capacity of doubled for small pieces of lower arm 70. At the outer end, the rod 'I8 is pivotallysecured between the upper ends-of the yoke arms 75 and 76 by the pin '19; and at the inner end the rod is pivotally connected by a pin 80 to a bracket 81. The bracket 81 is insulatingly mounted on the angle 41, and, since the carrier arm portion 48 is also insulated, the frame and conveyor mechanism is protected from stray current, the negative connection being made to, the cathode busbar 66. as described above. By curving the bar 70 and rod 78 the yoke can be raised the full distance'withouthaving it strike against the bar,.see Fig. 11; and the rod 78 has an angular formation at 82 to provide clearance for the mechanism at the end oi' the frame.

Around the ends of the frame the cam track has an arcuate portion y83 for supporting the rollers 56, the support for the rollers 39 not being required because the chain is then engaged on the teeth of the sprocket wheels.

Having thus described my'invention, I claim:

1. In an electroplating machine, a tank, a horizontal conveyor frame extending along the side of the tank, a bracket slidably guided and supported on the side ofthe frame, thel frame and bracket being disposed entirely at one side -of the tank, a work support arm pivotally mounted on the bracket and extending over the tank,

vand a cam track mounted on the side of the frame for supporting the arm as it is carried along the tank, and' for raising and lowering the arm as it is carried over the ends of the tank.

2.- In an electroplating machine, a tank, a frame extending alongside the tank, guide rails mounted on the side of the frame, a bracket slidably mounted on therails, means for moving the bracket along the rails, a work support arm pivoted to the bracket to swing in a plane trans-'- verse to the movement thereof, and a track mounted on the side of the frame -ior supporting the arm in a position extending out over the tank as the arm is carried along the length of the tankfand a cam forming a continuation of the track for raising and lowering the arm as it is carried past the ends of the tank. I

3. In an electroplating machine, a double row of solution tanks, a supportirame positioned between the rows of tanks, horizontally disposed sprocket wheels rotatably mounted on the ends of the frame, means for rotating one of .said

wheels, a chain belt supported on the sprocket wheels and extending along the sides of the frame, lateral guides for the chain mounted on the sides of the frame, a bracket dependingly attached to the chain, rails mounted onthe sides of the frame for slidably supporting the bracket, a work support arm pivotally mounted on thp bracket for movement in a planeat right angles to the chain, and tracks mounted on the sides of the frame for supporting the arm at an elevation projecting over the tanks, said tracks hav'- ing projecting portions. for raising and lowering the arm as the bracket is moved past the ends of the tanks.

4. In an electroplating machine, a doublerow of solution tanks, a support frame positioned and disposed entirely between the rows of tanks, sprocket wheels rotatably mounted on the ends of the frame, means for rotating one 'of said wheels, a chain belt supported on the sprocket wheels and extending along the sides o! the frame, a bracket dependingly attachedto the chain, rails mounted on the sides of the frame for slidably supporting the bracket, an insulated work support arm pivotally mounted on the bracket in a plane transverse to the movement of the bracket, tracks mounted on the sides oi' the frame for supporting the arml atan elevation projectingover the tanks, and cams for raising and lowering the arm to carry the work into and out oi' the tanks as the bracket is carried along on the chain past the ends of the tanks, and bus bars yieldingly mounted on the sides oi the frame tor contacting with the arm -in lowered position for connecting an electrical source thereto. y

5. In an electroplating machine, an endless chain supported in a horizontal plane, means for driving the chain, a bracket dependingly attached to the chain, a 'rail for slidably'supporting the bracket, a work. support arm pivoted to the bracket, in a plane transverse to themov'ement of the bracket, a track lfor supporting the arm in an elevated position as it is moved along, and cams interposed in the track for raising and lowering the arms at predetermined locations.

6. In an electroplating machine, a solutionl tank, an endless chain' belt supported to travel in a horizontal plane and disposed entirely at one side of the tank, lateral guides i'or the reaches of the chain, a bracket attached to the chain, a rail ior slidably supporting the bracket, an insulated work support arm pivotally connected to the bracket tor swinging transverse to the movement o! the chain. means for supporting the arm partially elevated and projecting outwardly from the chain as it ismoved horizontally, means at predetermined positions for raising and lowering the'arm, and means for supplying an electric current to 7. In an electroplating machine, an endless chain belt supported to travel in a horizontal plane, lateral guides for the reaches of the chain,

and means slidably contacting with the arm inl lowered position for supplying electric current thereto. p 8.In an electroplating machine, an insulated pivotally mounted arm i'or carrying the work in the plating tanks, means for moving the arm along the tanks, means for raising and lowering the armas it is moved along, a yoke for supporting the work pivotally mounted on the end oi' the arm, and an insulated arm pivotally mounted and pivoted to the yoke in parallel relation to said arm for maintaining position.

9. In an electroplating machine,y a tank, a bracket slidably supported and moved along at one side of the tank, a ,cantilever arm pivoted to the bracket and overhanging the tank, a worksupport yoke pivotally mounted on the end of the arm, means for'raising and lowering the arm as it is movedalong to carry the work into and out oi' the tank, andan arm pivotally connected Vto the bracket and to the yoke in parallel relathe yoke in an upright ,la bracket attached to the chain, a rail for supporting the bracket, an insulated work carrying theaide'of the conveyor. and means forming inbell crank lever rigid therewith, a track tlxediyl terruptiona in the track for alidably contacting mounted parallel to the movement o! the chain v with the bell crank for rotating the arm'toraise alidably oontacted by the lever to support the and lover the armas the' arm is moved past aid arm in a partially elevated position projecting at 5 means. i v

l11. Inan electroplatingmachine, ahorilontalthen-ack for aiidably contacting with the lever ly disposedfzeonveyor chain, means tor oontinuto raise and lower the arm as the arm is moved ously moving the chain. a work support'armpivpast said mana;-

10 tothe movementofthesammtheamhavinla ALBERT H. HANNON. 1o

one aide from the chain, and means interrupting 5 

